The Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn (Estonian: Tallinna Kaitseväe kalmistu), sometimes called the Tallinn Military Cemetery (Estonian: Tallinna Sõjavae kalmistu), is one of the three cemeteries of the Tallinn City Centre Cemetery (Estonian: Siselinna kalmistu). It is situated about 3 kilometres outside the centre of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. During Estonian independence before the Soviet and German occupations of the 1940–1991 period, it was Estonia's foremost military cemetery.
Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn
The Bronze Soldier monument, "To those fallen in World War II", on the Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn (June 2007).
The cemetery was established in the years of World War I as the cemetery of the Tallinn garrison. The oldest grave dates back to 1916 and holds Russian, Estonian, and German soldiers killed during World War I.
Also buried there are one British merchant seaman and four Royal Navy personnel from the same war who died before the Armistice, in addition to seven Royal Navy and two British Army personnel who died during the period of the Estonian War of Independence, and one non-world war grave. Eight of the Royal Navy personnel had been reburied here from Tallinn Old Cemetery.[1]
The graves from 1918 to 1944, the gravestones of the Estonian soldiers and the monuments of the Estonian War of Independence were largely destroyed by the Soviet authorities and the graveyard was taken over by the Red Army for use by the Soviet occupation forces after World War II.[2]
The graves of the fifteen British servicemen who died mostly in the Estonian War of Independence between 1918 and 1920 were repaired in 1994. Queen Elizabeth II appointed Linda Soomre an honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for dedication and bravery in protecting the British graves during the years of the Soviet rule. Soomre was in charge of the Tallinn City Centre Cemetery for 35 years. After the destruction of the gravestones she had made the ground overnight a maintenance area saving the remains of the British soldiers from being violated.[3] The graves are in a curbed graveled plot 75 yards inside from the cemetery main gate, in two rows, but because their exact locations could not be marked each man has a Special Memorial headstone.[1] The graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Linda Soomre also saved the graves of two Estonian generals, Johan Unt and Ernst Põdder, by keeping the burial sites covered with dirt. The monument for the generals, originally unveiled in 1933, was restored on 22 February 1998.
On 28 November 2012 the monument to those fallen in the Estonian War of Independence, originally unveiled in 1933, was restored. The registration book of people buried at this cemetery between years 1918–1944, with over 1,150 names, is maintained in Tallinn city central archives.
The only graves from 1918 to 1944 that survived the Soviet era in the graveyard was a dolomite statue in commemoration of the victims of Männiku explosion from 15 June 1936.
In mid-1990s a headstone which reads "To the Unknown Soldier: 1941–1945" in Estonian and Russian was placed on the cemetery, financed by the Russian Embassy in Estonia.
A notable monument, "To those fallen in World War II", is the Bronze Soldier, a two-meter statue of a soldier in Red Army uniform with an accompanying stone structure. The statue was a part of a former SovietWorld War II memorial by the sculptor Enn Roos and supervising architect Arnold Alas, and was moved from central Tallinn to the cemetery on 30 April 2007.
^ ab"Tallinn Military Cemetery, with list of casualties". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 17 March 2018. Named Tallinn Military Cemetery by the CWGC.
^Linda Soomre Memorial Plaque 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine at britishembassy.gov.uk
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tallinn Defence Forces Cemetery.
Estonia and the United Kingdom 1918–2006
August 24, 2023
defence, forces, cemetery, tallinn, estonian, tallinna, kaitseväe, kalmistu, sometimes, called, tallinn, military, cemetery, estonian, tallinna, sõjavae, kalmistu, three, cemeteries, tallinn, city, centre, cemetery, estonian, siselinna, kalmistu, situated, abo. The Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn Estonian Tallinna Kaitsevae kalmistu sometimes called the Tallinn Military Cemetery Estonian Tallinna Sojavae kalmistu is one of the three cemeteries of the Tallinn City Centre Cemetery Estonian Siselinna kalmistu It is situated about 3 kilometres outside the centre of Tallinn the capital of Estonia During Estonian independence before the Soviet and German occupations of the 1940 1991 period it was Estonia s foremost military cemetery Defence Forces Cemetery of TallinnThe Bronze Soldier monument To those fallen in World War II on the Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn June 2007 DetailsEstablished1916LocationTallinnCountryEstoniaCoordinates59 25 18 N 24 45 56 E 59 42167 N 24 76556 E 59 42167 24 76556TypeMilitaryNo of graves1 150Find a GraveDefence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditThe cemetery was established in the years of World War I as the cemetery of the Tallinn garrison The oldest grave dates back to 1916 and holds Russian Estonian and German soldiers killed during World War I Also buried there are one British merchant seaman and four Royal Navy personnel from the same war who died before the Armistice in addition to seven Royal Navy and two British Army personnel who died during the period of the Estonian War of Independence and one non world war grave Eight of the Royal Navy personnel had been reburied here from Tallinn Old Cemetery 1 The graves from 1918 to 1944 the gravestones of the Estonian soldiers and the monuments of the Estonian War of Independence were largely destroyed by the Soviet authorities and the graveyard was taken over by the Red Army for use by the Soviet occupation forces after World War II 2 The graves of the fifteen British servicemen who died mostly in the Estonian War of Independence between 1918 and 1920 were repaired in 1994 Queen Elizabeth II appointed Linda Soomre an honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE for dedication and bravery in protecting the British graves during the years of the Soviet rule Soomre was in charge of the Tallinn City Centre Cemetery for 35 years After the destruction of the gravestones she had made the ground overnight a maintenance area saving the remains of the British soldiers from being violated 3 The graves are in a curbed graveled plot 75 yards inside from the cemetery main gate in two rows but because their exact locations could not be marked each man has a Special Memorial headstone 1 The graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Linda Soomre also saved the graves of two Estonian generals Johan Unt and Ernst Podder by keeping the burial sites covered with dirt The monument for the generals originally unveiled in 1933 was restored on 22 February 1998 On 28 November 2012 the monument to those fallen in the Estonian War of Independence originally unveiled in 1933 was restored The registration book of people buried at this cemetery between years 1918 1944 with over 1 150 names is maintained in Tallinn city central archives The only graves from 1918 to 1944 that survived the Soviet era in the graveyard was a dolomite statue in commemoration of the victims of Manniku explosion from 15 June 1936 In mid 1990s a headstone which reads To the Unknown Soldier 1941 1945 in Estonian and Russian was placed on the cemetery financed by the Russian Embassy in Estonia A notable monument To those fallen in World War II is the Bronze Soldier a two meter statue of a soldier in Red Army uniform with an accompanying stone structure The statue was a part of a former Soviet World War II memorial by the sculptor Enn Roos and supervising architect Arnold Alas and was moved from central Tallinn to the cemetery on 30 April 2007 See also EditList of cemeteries in Estonia Bronze Soldier of Tallinn Military of EstoniaReferences Edit a b Tallinn Military Cemetery with list of casualties Commonwealth War Graves Commission Retrieved 17 March 2018 Named Tallinn Military Cemetery by the CWGC Linda Soomre Memorial Plaque Archived 2008 01 18 at the Wayback Machine at britishembassy gov uk 1 Archived 2008 01 18 at the Wayback MachineExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tallinn Defence Forces Cemetery Military Cemetery Estonia and the United Kingdom 1918 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn amp oldid 1169943790, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
